Compacter for refuse collection



Jan. 30, 1968 E. EVANS, JR 3,366,255

COMPA CTER FOR REFUSE COLLECTION Filed Oct. 24, 1965 2, INVENTOR EUGENEEvANs,JR. BY QM, xfluwa ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,366,255COMPACTER FOR REFUSE COLLECTION Eugene Evans, JL, 6042a N. Goodfellow,St. Louis, Mo. 63147 Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Scr. No. 504,795 3 Claims.(Cl. 214-333) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A Compactor for refusecollection adapted for installation in existing truck bodies andutilizing a packing head which is mounted on a carriage provided withina truck body for reciprocal movement by hydraulic means toward and awayfrom the rearward wall of the refuse compartment.

This invention relates in general to truck constructions and, moreparticularly, to a compacter for use with refuse collecting vehicles.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means forcompacting refuse and like material as collected by trucks for thepurpose of substantially increasing the load in order to lengthen theoperating range of the related vehicle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compacter forrefuse collected by vehicles which adapts the vehicle for increasing itsworking load, but within the predetermined load-receiving volume sothat, as in areas having narrow passageways, a truck with relativelysmall collecting volume is adapted for greater quantity collection.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compacter forthe condensation of collected materials which is readily adapted forinstallation in existing truck bodies without requiring extensivemodification of the same.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide acompacter of the character stated which is readily adapted forinstallation in existing truck bodies without requiring extensivemodification of the same.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide acompacter of the character stated which is readily controllable inoperation from a remote location such as in the cab of the vehicle andis fully automatic in usage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compacterof the character stated which may be operated by any suitable means suchas fluid or mechanical.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compacter ofthe character stated which may be most economically manufactured; may beeasily installed as original equipment or in existing structures; whichis reliable and durable in usage; and which is comprised of a simplicityof parts being resistant to breakdown.

Other objects and details of the invention are apparent from thefollowing description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view in partial section of a vehicleequipped with a compacter constructed in accordance with and embodyingthe present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE3.

Patented Jan. 30, 1968 Referring now by reference characters to thedrawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, A generally designates a truck having a main frame (notshown) upon which is carried a body comprising a cab 1 and an enclosedrear compartment 2; said latter being defined by a forward wall 3, arearward -wall 5, side walls 6, top wall 7 and a floor or bed 8.

Provided in the forward upper portion of each side wall 6 is an opening9, which may be provided with a slideable closure plate (not shown), ifdesired.

Vehicle A is provided with conventional means (not shown) for elevatingthe forward portion of compartment 2 for content-discharge, as in themanner of a dump truck, and with rearward wall 5 having a door or gate(not shown) for opening during unloading operations.

Floor 8 is provided with an elongated opening 10 extending axially andlongitudinally thereof from rearward wall 5 to forward wall 3. Providedwithin opening 10 and suitably secured to the opposed longitudinal sidesthereof are guides 11, 11'; said latter being of channel configuration,opening toward each other and being co-extensive with floor opening 10.Each of said guides comprises a web 12 and upper and lower flanges 13,14- respectively. It is recognized that although the preferredconstruction shown herein incorporates said channel members 11, 11'within an opening in floor 8, the same could be mounted upon the saidfloor, but as will be seen hereinbelow with diminution of the volume ofcompartment 2.

Received within each of said guides 11, 11' for reciprocal movementtherealong is an elongated runner or slide 15, 15', respectively, whichare preferably of tubular character, being rectangular in cross sectionfor strength producing purposes; said runners 15, 15 are substantiallyof less length than guides 11, 11' for purposes presently appearing.

At their forward ends, runners 15, 15' are interconnected by a shoe 16of channel configuration and downwardly opening with its depending sideflanges 17, 17' being rigid as by welding, with the adjacent inwardlydirected faces of runners 15, 15'; said flanges 17, 17 extendingupwardly beyond the upper flange 13 of guides 11, 11' and beinginterconnected by a fiat web 18, the plane of which is parallel to thatof floor 8.

Fixed upon the upper face of web 18 of shoe 16 as by welding is thelower end edge of a vertically presented packing plate 19 which isquadrilateral but slightly less dimensionally than the cross section ofcompartment 2; said packing plate 19 being in planarwise relationship toforward and rearward walls 3, 5 of compartment 2. Fixed to the centrallower portion of packing plate 19 for buttressing purposes is a bracemember 20 which, on its lower edge, is rigid with the upper face of amovable cover plate 21. Said cover plate 21 comprises an upper flat web22 which on its forward edge is secured as by welding to the lowerportion of packing plate 19 and is of such width as to extend onitssides beyond guides 11, 11';.said web 22 being provided with dependingskirts 23, 23, the lower faces of which terminate spacedly above theupper face of floor 8. It will be seen (FIGURES 3, 4) that web 22 ofcover plate 21 is slightly elevated above web 18 of shoe 16, there beinga relatively substantial spacing between the underface of web 22 and theupper flange 13 of guides 11, 11'. Cover plate 21 has substantially thesame length as runners 15, 15 (FIGURE 3). It will be seen that runners15, 15' and shoe 16 jointly provide a carriage for packing plate 19 andcover plate 21. Cover plate 21 provides protection to guides 11, 11' andrelated structure transform material such as refuse deposited withincompartment 2.

Immediately rearwardly of shoe 16, there is fixedly secured as bywelding to the opposed faces of runners 15, the side arms 24, 24',respectively, of a clevistype bracket 25 having a connecting web 26extending between said arms 24, 24 in normal relationship to the relatedsides of said runners 15, 15'. Rigid with web 26 is the forward end of apiston 27, the opposite end of which is received within a fluid cylinder30 which may be either of the hydraulic or pneumatic type. Said cylinder30 is suitably provided at its ends with fluid conduits 31, 32 forconnection to a source of hydraulic fluid as located at any convenientpoint upon vehicle A, such as within the cab area wherein control meansfor operating of the fluid system are provided for ready access.Cylinder 30 is mounted upon a support 33 having a base plate 34 which isaffixed to the lower flanges of guide members 11, 11 in their rearwardportions (FIGURES 3, 5) so that said cylinder 30 is positioned withinthe rearward section of opening 10.

In covering relationship to the said rearward portion of guides 11, 11is a fixed cover plate 35 having depending side skirts 36, 36'; saidplate 35 being of such width as to extend at its sides beyond guides 11,11 and with the lower ends of skirts 36, 36' being secured to floor 8 inany suitable manner such as by bolting or the like. Said cover plate 35extends substantially from rearward wall 5 to a point slightly forwardlyof the forward end of fluid cylinder 30 for reception between the web 22of cover plate 21 and the upper flange 13 of guides 11, 11' (FIGURES 3,5) so that in its forward end portion said cover plate 35 will at alltimes be in underlying relationship to cover plate 21; there beingsufficient clearance between cover plate 35 and cover plate 21 so thatthe latter may be moved thereacross during operation of packing plate 19in a manner to be now described.

In operation packing plate 19 will be normally presented in immediatecontiguity to the rearward face of forward wall 3, as shown in FIGURE 1,with piston 27 at the forward limit of its stroke. Refuse materialcollected by personnel associated with vehicle A will be charged tocompartment 2 through side openings 9. As the collected refuse withincompartment 2 builds up, personnel in cab 1 will operate the controlsfor the fluid system so as to effect a rearward or retracting movementof piston 27, causing packing plate 19 to be moved rearwardly withincompartment 2 in the direction of rearward wall 5 with runners 15, 15'sliding smoothly along guides 11, 11' and with plate 21 travelingcoveringly above plate 35. By such operation packing plate 19 will causethe refuse material to be drive toward rearward wall 2 for tightcompacting of the same, and to develop space in the forward portion ofcompartment 2 for reception of subsequent quantities of collectedmaterials. After the compacting operation has been completed, theoperator will energize the controls for reverse or return movement ofpacking plate 19 into initial or starting position adjacent forward wall3 for further compacting action after additional collection. It will beseen that movable cover plate 21 and fixed cover plate 35 co-operate tocompletely shield the operating parts of the present system so as toprevent the inadvertent reception therein of particles of refusematerial.

The rearwardly directed extent of travel of packing plate 19 isdetermined by the length of stroke of piston 27; with the same being infully withdrawn position with connecting web 26 of bracket 25 being insubstantial abutment against the end face of fluid cylinder 30.

After compartment 2 is in fully loaded state, the discharge of thecollected refuse may be accomplished in the usual manner as by theopening of rear door 5 after lifting the forward portion of compartment2 for gravity impelled dumping action.

By utilization of the present invention, the volume of the particularcompartment 2 may be substantially used to its utmost so as to bringabout marked economies in operation and allow for increased workingrange of the vehicle. Trucks incorporating the present invention arealso especially suited for use in metropolitan areas where refuse mustbe collected in narrow streets or passageways causing reduced width tothe truck so that by such relatively smaller compartments, maximumcollections may be effected.

The present invention comprises a simplicity of parts which may beeasily installed within existing truck bodies, as well as being madeoriginal equipment. As indicated above, guides 11, 11 together withassociated structure may be disposed within an opening or recess withinthe truck floor 8 or mounted directly upon the upper surface thereof asmay be desired.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formation,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of thecompacter for refuse collection may be made and substituted for theseherein shown and described without departing from the nature andprinciple of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A compactor for use with material-collecting vehicles comprisingcompartment-forming means provided on said vehicles comprising a floor,side walls, forward wall, a rearward wall, and a top wall, a packinghead provided within said compartment-forming means and adapted formovement toward and away from said rearward wall, said packing headbeing of flat plate character and having an area slightly less than thecross-section area of said compartment-forming means, a fluid cylindermounted on said floor and extending longitudinally thereof, a pistonmounted in said cylinder for movement toward and away from said forwardwall, guide members provided on said floor and extending longitudinallythereof in coaxial relationship to said cylinder, runners disposed onsaid guide means for slideable movement therealong, said runners beingconnected to said piston at its cylinder-remote end, meansinter-connecting said runners and said packing plate for effectingtravel of the latter pursuant to operation of said piston, 21 firstcover plate provided in overlying relationship to said guide members andbeing inter-connected to said packing head for travel therewith and asecond cover plate fixedly mounted in overlying relationship to saidguide members in the region adjacent said fluid cylinder, said fixedcover plate being presented in downwardly spaced relationship to saidfirst cover plate whereby the latter may lie thereover during travel ofsaid packing plate.

2. A compactor for material-collecting vehicles comprisingcompartment-forming means provided on said vehicles and comprising afloor, side walls, forward wall, a rearward wall and a top wall, a pairof guide members provided on said floor extending longitudinally thereinin axially parallel relationship, a slide member disposed within each ofsaid guide members for slideable movement therealong, a packing headprovided within said compartment-forming means and adapted for movementtoward and away from said rearward wall, first connecting meansinterconnecting said slide members and said packing head, said firstconnecting means comprising a shoe having a web and a pair of flanges,said web being connected to said packing head and said flanges beingconnected to said slide members, fluid operated means provided withinsaid compartment-forming means, second connecting means operativelyengaging said fluid-operated means to said slide members for effectingreciprocal movement of said packing head, said second connecting meanscomprising a clevis having a web and a pair of flanges, said web beingconnected to said fluid-operating means and each of said flanges beingconnected to the respective slide member, means for overlyingly coveringsaid guide members, slide members, first and second connecting means andsaid fluid operated means.

3. A compactor for material-collecting vehicles comprisingcompartment-forming means provided on said vehicles and comprising afloor, side walls, forward wall, a rearward wall and a top wall, a pairof guide members provided on said floor extending longitudinally thereinin axially parallel relationship, a slide member disposed within each ofsaid guide members for slideable movement therealong, a packing headprovided Within said compartment-forming means and adapted for movementtoward and away from said rearward wall, first connecting meansinterconnecting said slide members and said packing head, fiuid-operatedmeans provided Within said compartment-forming means, second connectingmeans operatively engaging said fluid-operated means to said slidemembers for effecting reciprocal movement of said packing head, meansfor overlyingly covering said guide members, slide members, first andsecond connecting means and said fluid-operated means, said coveringmeans comprising a first cover plate being inter-connected to saidpacking head for travel therewith and a second cover plate fixedlymounted in the region adjacent said rearward wall, said second coverplate being presented in downwardly spaced relationship to said firstcover plate whereby the latter may lie thereover during travel of saidpacking head.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,911,119 11/1959 Kuhnau 214-822,912,128 11/1959 Kamin 21482 2,996,203 8/1961 Rosaia 214-82 ROBERT G.SHERIDAN, Primary Examiner.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Assistant Examiner.

